Combined carpet stretcher and tacker



(No Model.)

E. L. McDIVITT. COMBINED CARP-ET STRETGHEB. AND TAGKBR.

No. 492,045. Patented Feb. 21 1893.

- I W]: 233668: 1224M.

'Nrrso STATES EDWARD L. MODIVITT, OF BELVIDERE, ILLINOIS.

PATENT OFFICE.

COMBINED CARPET STRETCHER AND TACKER.

SPEGIFIGATIONforming part of Letters Patent No. 492,045, dated February 21, 1893.

- Application filed September 10, 1892. Serial No. 445,568. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, EDWARD L. MODIVlTT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Beividere, in the county of Boone and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful ImprovementsinaOombined Carpet Stretcher and Tacker, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to construct a combined carpet stretcher and tacker in which a rack is formed which holds the tacks, having located near its lower end an escapement device which permits of the escape of a single tack at each operation of the device, a socket which receives the liberated tack, a plunger for driving the tack and a stretcher having a connection with the tacker in order that the carpet may be stretched and when brought to the required position securely tacked.

In the accompanying drawings-Figure 1 is an isometrical representation of my combined carpet stretcher and tacker. Fig. 2 is a face elevation of the tacking device. Fig. 3 is a vertical central section of the lower portion of the tacking device.

My improved tacking device consists of a standard 1, at the lower end of which is secured a socket 2, the upper end of which is enlarged, and at its lower end is secured a flat spring 3, which partially closes the lower end of the socket. The extreme lower end of the socket portion is pointed. A plunger 4 has a connection with the standard 1, passing through the screw eyes 5 and its lower end entering the socket 2. The tack holding rack, made from sheet metal, is pivoted at its upper extremity to the standard. This rack has its edges turned upward and toward the middle line, leaving sufficient space between their adjacent edges to admit the shank of the tack and forming a channel for the tack heads. Located at the lower end of the tack rack, and secured to the standard is an escapement device, consisting of two points, 7 and 8, the point 7 being located above the point 8 the thickness of the shank of a carpet tack, and so located with reference to the socket 2 that when the tack is liberated by the lower arm of escapement it will drop .into the socket.

A flat spring 9 is secured to the standard and presses against the tack rack, holding it in one position in a yielding manner. An angle lever 10 is pivoted upon the face of the standard 1, having one end which may contact with the plunger 3 and its other end resting against the rack 2.

Thus far I have described my improved tacker, the operation of which is as follows: The tacks are placed within the tack rack 2 so that their points extend outward, while their heads are held within the rack. When the plunger is down the angle lever 10 holds the tack rack at one end of its movement against the action of the spring 9. Upon withdrawing the plunger its lower end is raised high enough to liberate the angle lever 10, which will remove its pressure against the tack rack, leaving the spring free to move the rack in the opposite direction. The tack column is resting upon the lower point 8 of the escapement when the plunger is down, but when the latter is raised upon the lever 10 the spring will move the tack rack, causing the lower tack to be liberated from the point 8 and the tack will drop point foremost into the socket 2, but before this lower tack is liberated the upper point 7 has passed between the lower tack and the remainder of the column, thereby permitting only one tack to drop at a'time. As soon as the tack has dropped into the socket the plunger is driven down with suflicient force to drive the tack into the floor, but when the plunger comes in contact with the angle lever 10, it will cause the tack rack to move to its first position, which will allow the tack column to drop upon the lower point of the escapement. The flat spring 3 in the lower end of the socket 2 holds the tack previously dropped until the plunger descends upon it and the force of the plunger forces the tack out of the socket against the action of the spring.

T0 the standard 1 I connect the stretching device, which in this instance consists of a bar 11, having its fore under face provided with prongs which enter the carpet. This bar has a connection with the standard 1 by a link 12, which permits of the stretcher being folded against the standard when not in use,

ICO

and will be held in its closed position by the link passing over the heads of the screws 13.

I claim as my invention- 1. A carpet tacker having a standard, a plunger secured thereto a socket at the lower end of said standard, a rack for holding the tacks, a spring for moving the rack in one direction and means operated by the plunger for moving it in the opposite direction.

2. A carpet tacker having a standard, a plunger secured thereto, asocket atthe lower end of the standard, an escapement device at the lower end of the rack which is secured to the standard, a spring for moving the rack in one direction and an angle lever secured to 

